Authun 1 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Was riding my bike along a footpath/gravel track today and saw two men shooting a .25 rifle from the track resting the gun on the fence and shooting at a target 30meters into the field. I stopped to have a chat but they didnt really seem up for talking. I always thought that it was illegal to shoot from a public path. Am I right in thinking this? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Ideation 8,216 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Yes. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Authun 1 Posted October 29, 2011 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Thought so, By the way they tried to avoid talking to me made me feel something abit dodgy was going on. I have persmission to use my airrifle near where they were shooting annoys me because it gives shooters a bad name. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
R. Docks 154 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 No. Section 161 of the Highways Act 1980 makes it an offence without lawful authority or excuse to discharge any firearm within 50 feet of the centre of the highway and in consequence of which a user of the highway is injured, interrerupted or endangered Quote Link to post Share on other sites
artic 595 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 It's 50ft from the center of highway/carrage way. Footpaths are not classed as highways, so common sense should kick in if your going to shoot/zero in from a public footpath. Just be careful who is near you when you discharge the round, I.e ramblers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 28,250 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 a .25 rifle Good attention to detail,distance yourself from such guys otherwise your going to be tarred with the same brush. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
paulus 26 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 it is not against the law to shoot on a public footpath as long as you have the landowners consent to be there., although its not the brightest of ideas to be actually shooting off the footpath. there is no law against being on a footpath with a firearm aslong as you have the landowners permision, its the same as the not discharging a firearm within 50 feet of a highway its all bullshit the truth is it comes under the highways act and says you must not obstruct the flow of traffic. so if you say shoot a pheasent and it lands on the road and causes a car to stop/swerve then you are breaking the law but if someone stops to watch you shoot then you are not breaking the law as they have stopped of their own free will. In England & Wales it is an offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse to discharge any firearm within fifty feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and in consequence a user of the carriageway is injured, interrupted or endangered. [section 161(2) of the Highways Act 1980 as amended].It is important to remember that the discharge of a firearm is not prohibited in itself. It must also be proved that there was an injury, or that someone’s passage was interrupted or interfered with e.g. they have been forced to make a detour. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
R. Docks 154 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Footpaths are not classed as highways Yes they are. Highways are roads, bridleways and footpaths. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
artic 595 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 Footpaths are not classed as highways Yes they are. Highways are roads, bridleways and footpaths. A public footpath is classed as a public place, so yes you could be in trouble with having a loaded weapon in a public place, however a footpath is not a highway nor a carrage way, byway country road ect... They are listed under the highways department, a footpath isn't. If I'm wrong then you can have my Jim'll fix it badge.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mackem 28,250 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 If I'm wrong then you can have my Jim'll fix it badge.... I think you will find thats spoken for! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
tegater 789 Posted October 29, 2011 Report Share Posted October 29, 2011 My permissions are riddled with footpaths, wich are nothing more than the farmers land. If you cannot shoot on footpaths then for one how would you control your vermin and yes you must have good reason. As for highways I can and do shoot right next to them at times, as long as I fulfill the legal side of it, i.e. injured, interupted or endangered. As a user of the footpath, yes you have a right to be there, but so does somebody else legally entitled to do so, carrying out lawful activity. Be sensible , be safe and dont confuse public footpaths, with footpaths that are part of a highway. One example might be, when out lamping, we use bridalways, that are driven on during the day by farm machinery. We use green lanes, that by day are driven on by farm machinery. It cannot possibly be an offence, if we do this at night, and whack a fox from it. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
whin 463 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 good post teg ator Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chimp 299 Posted October 30, 2011 Report Share Posted October 30, 2011 it is not against the law to shoot on a public footpath as long as you have the landowners consent to be there., although its not the brightest of ideas to be actually shooting off the footpath. there is no law against being on a footpath with a firearm aslong as you have the landowners permision, its the same as the not discharging a firearm within 50 feet of a highway its all bullshit the truth is it comes under the highways act and says you must not obstruct the flow of traffic. so if you say shoot a pheasent and it lands on the road and causes a car to stop/swerve then you are breaking the law but if someone stops to watch you shoot then you are not breaking the law as they have stopped of their own free will. In England & Wales it is an offence without lawful authority or reasonable excuse to discharge any firearm within fifty feet of the centre of a highway which consists of or comprises a carriageway, and in consequence a user of the carriageway is injured, interrupted or endangered. [section 161(2) of the Highways Act 1980 as amended].It is important to remember that the discharge of a firearm is not prohibited in itself. It must also be proved that there was an injury, or that someone’s passage was interrupted or interfered with e.g. they have been forced to make a detour. exactly !!!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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